Sound-clarifier for sound producing or reproducing instruments.



C. W. JOHNSON. SOUND (ILARIFIER FOR SOUND PRODUCING 0R REPRODUCING INSTRUMENTS. APPLICAHON men MAR. 14. 1914. RENEWED FEB. 21. 1911.

1,240,050. PatentedSept. 11, 1917.

A TIORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COBREL WELTON JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOUND-CLARIFIER FOR SOUND PRODUCING OR REPRODUCING INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed March 14, 1914, Serial No. 824,703.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Conner, W. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Im roved Sound-Clarifier for Sound Produclng or Reproducin Instruments, of which the fol lowing is a nil, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in sound producing or reproducing instruments that require a chamber or box to amplify the sound produced or reproduced, and more particularly to improved means cooperative with the amplifying chamber and sound conveyer for the purpose of clarifying the sound emitted.

A further object of the invention is to clarify the sound or tone resounded from an amplifying chamber, box or born by eliminating counter currents or interfering eddies within an amplifying chamber, box or horn across or on the .line ofits axis, at the small end in such a manner as to assist in relieving the sounds of inharmonious tones or flatness and reverberations out of harmony with the sound. sought to be produced or reproduced, as well as to allow space in the large end of the chamber for amplification of the sound emitted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sound clarifier consisting of a deflector of novel structure or shape located in the amplifying chamber and adapted to uniformly divert the' sound waves trans mitted upon the molecules of the air as an elastic body, and to intercept the counter currents or eddies in the axis of the amplifying chamber and thereby prevent inharmonious sounds.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention resides more particularly in the peculiar combination and arrangement of arts to be hereinafter more fully descri ed, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object to provide a device which is simple in construction, durable and eflicient in operation and not likely to get out of working order.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in ali the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section of a gramophone illustrating one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

Renewed February 27, 1917. Serial No. 151,377.

application of the improved sound clarifier to a musical or sound reproducing instrument;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a deflector forming the improvement;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view looking toward the opposite end of the deflector; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section, of an amplifying chamber or horn of different cross section from that shown in Fig. 1, provided with a modified form of sound clarifier.

In carrying out my invention I have illustrated two embodiments, and in Fig. 1 the numeral 10 indicates a fragmentary portion of the cabinet of a gramophone or other suitable musical instrument, usually provided with a hinged cover 11 for protecting the mechanism and preventing the escape of the sound except through the amplifying chamber. The top of the cabinet is indicated by the numeral 12 and serves to support a suitable drive mechanism 13 for rotating a table 14 upon which a sound record in the form of a disk 15 is carried. A reproducer or sound box 16 cotiperates with the sound record through the instrumentality of the usual needle or stylus to convey the sound through a movable connection 17 and thence through :an inverted sound conveyer 18 suitably supported by the top or partition wall 12. This sound conveyer is gradually enlarged toward its outlet in the same manner as the connection 17 and has its lower and horizontally extended for connection to the restricted end of an amplifying chamber, box or born 19, also contained in the cabinet. In the form shown, the amplifying chamber is connected to the sound conveyor as shown at 20. the sound conveyor being provided with a flange secured to a connector on the amplifying chamber with interposed means such as a packing or washer of rubber or felt to prevent the transmission of vibrations to the amplifyi chamber.

11 the structure illustrated the amplifying chamber is ofsubstantially frusto-pyramidal shape in outline and comprises the outwardly deflecting side Walls 21. an in- (lined top wall 22 and a horizontally disposed bottom wall 23, thus providing a chamber which is restricted at its inner end to conform in size to the adjacent end of the sound conveyor and which enlarges out:

wardly in such a manner as to amplify and transmit the sound produced or repro uced. At the front of the chamber the usual pivoted dampers 24 ma be provided, but the structure thus described is not specifically claimed as a part of my invention. The sound clarifier forming the invention is indicated by the numeral 25 in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, and embodies a deflector having a shape substantially that of a frustum of a pyramid and conforming in cross section to the cross section of the amplifying chamber and uniformly tapering in the same degree in which the chamber tapers. The deflector is preferably hollow or in the form of a shell having four flat sides with one side horizontally disposed in the same manner as the bottom wall 23 of the amplifying chamber, and has its inner end corresponding to the apex of a pyramid, abruptly tapered as shown at 26 in diamond point or yramidal shape. The end of the deflector correspondin to the base of a pyramid is also provide with abruptly tapered walls producing a hipped or arrised base'27 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

In use, the deflector 25 is positioned in the amplifying chamber in such a manner as to cause its tapered end 26 to protrude through the aperture of the sound conveyer, the said deflector being removably supported in position by means of a support independent of the ampligring chamber itself. In the illustrated embo iment, four or any other number of brackets 28 are secured in recesses 29 in the side walls of the deflector, the same formin supports which are fitted into sockets 29' .ormed with or carried by the inner wall of the sound conveyer, so as to offer the least ossible resistance to the passage or transmission of the sound waves not desired to be retarded in producing the clear sound primarily sought. These brackets are also connected to the sound conveyor and for this purpose extend through the mouth of the latter so that the deflector is supported with its apex extending slightly into the sound conveyor and centrally of the aperture thereof. The surrounding walls of the deflector are parallel to the inner walls of the amplifying chamber, thus producing a surrounding channel of uniform width so that the sound waves will be uniformly deflected by the apex or tapered end of the deflector around the latter. The outgoing sound waves tend to produce inharmonious sounds due to interfering eddies and disturbances in the body of air supporting the said sound waves, but this is overcome by the installation of the deflector in the axial line of the amplifyin chamber, the plain, smooth and polishe surface of the deflector avoiding obstruction so as to increase the volume of sound waves in the space between said deflector and amplifying chamber or horn with resultant clarified tone.

This structure permits a free escape of the sound wave and eliminates any cross or eddy currents which may disturb the clearness of the tone and the amplification of the sound emitted.

While in the structure just described the bottom wall is horizontally extended or disposed and the top wall inclined with the deflector correspondingly shaped, the essential feature consists-in conformin the deflector to the amplifying chamber in such a manner as to cause a uniform deflection of the sound from the apex of the deflector into the space around the same. To further carry out the object to be attained, the deflector is provided with the hipped or arrised base 27, the apex and arris of the abruptly tapered extremities of the dcflector being located intermediatoly the edge walls of the adjacent ends of the deflector. in the former case to secure a uniform deflection. and in the case of the hipped or arrised base 27 to assist in the emission of the sounds'and the amplification of the same due to the termination of the deflector short of the large end of the amplifying chamber.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings a horn or amplify ing chamber 30 is shown, the same being of circular cross section and being attached to a sound conveyor or coupling part 31 through the instrumentality of a suitable connector such as a'sleeve 32, for the purpose of preventing the transmission of vibrations from the sound convcyer to the horn. The deflector is indicated by the numeral 33 and in the form shown is a frustum of a circular cone the apex 34 of which is tapered to a greater degree than the cone proper, as in the case of the deflector 25 heretofore described. The base 35 of the cone forming the deflector 33 is also oppositely tapered with respect to the taper of the cone and apex, the same as the hipped or arrised base 27 of the quadrangular pyramid 25, and in both instances the bases terminate short of the enlarged extremities of the amplifying chambers or horns so as not to interfere with the proper amplification of the sound and to avoid any ossible contention that the device inter eres or detracts from the appearance of the machine. The deflector 33 is supported by brackets 36 which are attached to the deflector at certain ends and at their other ends to the innor wall of the sound conveyor 31, the essential feature being to support the deflector independently of the horn or amplifying chamber as in the previously described structure.

In summarizing it will be seen that each form of the invention illustrated, as illustrating several modifications which might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, consists in constructing the deflector on lines corresponding to those of the inner walls of the amplifying chamber, box or born, or similar in cross section or substantially so, so as to produce a symmetrical surrounding space. The deflector may be constructed of wood, metal, celluloid, papier-mfioh or vulcanized rubber as shall be found most desirable in connection with a certain instrument.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sound clarifier for a sound producing instrument having an amplifying chamber and a sound conveyer of tapered formation, said clarifier comprising a deflector terminating in a point and positioned in said chamber and projecting into the conveyer to uniformly deflect the sound waves between it and the walls of the chamber.

2. The combination with a horn of a sound producing instrument tapering in one direction and a sound conveyer connected thereto; of a deflector positioned in the horn and having oppositely tapered ends, the deflector forming a space of uniform width between it and the horn and having one end extending partially into the sound conveyer.

3. The combination with a musical or sound producing instrument having a sound conveyer and an amplifying chamber coupled thereto; of a sound clarifier positioned in the amplifying chamber to produce a surrounding space and being of symmetrical cross section, said clarifier having oppositely tapered ends one of which extends into the mouth of the sound conveyer, and means connecting the sound conveyer and clarifier for supporting the latter within the amplifying chamber.

4. A sound clarifier for the amplifying box of a sound producing instrument, embodying a tapered deflector in the form of a shell, the apex and base of the deflector being abruptly tapered.

5. A sound clarifier, comprising a tapered deflector of rectangular cross section and having its apex formed by triangular faces extending from the sides to a point and having a hipped or arrised base.

6. The combination with a sound box of rectangular cross section and tapering toward its inlet end; of a sound clarifier embodying a substantially pyramidal shell supported in the box to deflect the sound waves uniformly there-around, said shell being entirely closed, provided with tapered ends and terminating short of the mouth of the box and serving to prevent interference, counter-currents or eddies due to the reverberation of the sound waves resulting from oscillation of the air molecules transmitting the sound, whereby the sound is strengthened, amplified and tensified and the tone clarified so that all flatness and sounds out of harmony with the sounds sought to be produced are eliminated.

7. The combination with a sound conveyer and a horn coupled thereto; of a tapered deflector supported in the horn and having its extreme end portions tapered in opposite directions at a greater degree than the normal taper of the deflector, and brackets carried by the sound conveyer to which the deflector is secured for supporting the latter spaced from the walls of the born.

8. A sound clarifier comprising a substantially pyramidal member of quadrangu lar cross section, the sides of the member terminating in oppositely tapered walls producing tapered end portions.

9. The combination with a horn of a sound reproducing instrument, said horn tapering in one direction; of a deflector fitted in the horn and having oppositely tapered ends with one end projecting slightly through the small end of the horn and the other end terminating adjacent to the large end or mouth of the born.

10. The combination with a musical or sound producing instrument having a sound conveyer and an amplifying chamber coupled thereto; of a sound clarifier positioned in the amplifying chamber to produce a surrounding space of uniform width and being of symmetrical cross section with respect to the amplifying chamber and internal means for supporting the clarifier within the charm ber independently of the latter at spaced points and permitting the convenient application and removal thereof in a proper position.

11. The combination with a horn of a sound producing instrument tapering in one direction and a sound conveyer connected thereto; of a deflector positioned in the horn and having oppositely tapered ends with one end extending partially into the sound conveyer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CORREL VVELTON JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. BURCH, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0." 

